Guidance

Chapter 5: Working with Third Parties and Participant Support

Updated 10 May 2023

Applies to England and Wales

High level Must Do’s

1. Providers are expected to work in partnership with appropriate third parties, and local services and health provisions, to best support Participants.

2. Providers to identify Signposting Organisations and market IPES provision to them, working to identify eligible potential Participants for signposting to the Jobcentre.

3. Providers must utilise, or build where required, an appropriate and sustainable support network tailored for each Participant, and with a focus on long-term support.

4. Providers must comply with all safeguarding legislation, including MAPPA and Special Customer Records requirements.

5. Providers must take the necessary steps to obtain and provide appropriate special aids or services needed for the Participant to actively engage with the provision.

6. Providers are responsible for travel and additional support costs while the Participant is on IPES, including childcare and other caring responsibilities.

Data Protection Legislation and Data Sharing

You must ensure that you follow the requirements around Data Protection Legislation and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) taking into account your Contract Terms and Conditions.

In relation to the sharing of data, providers should also adhere to all requirements as laid out in Generic Provider Guidance Chapter 8 – Information Security.

Third Party Support

5.01 Intensive Personalised Employment Support (IPES) Providers are expected to work in partnership and integrate with local and specialist services, supporting local service integration and working with the resources and successful provisions available within local areas.

5.02 This will support effective use of local funding streams and the expertise of local service providers so that where Participants with a disability/disabilities causing a barrier to work face additional non-disability related barriers (such as housing issues, addiction problems, debt and/or long-term unemployment, domestic violence etc.), they will receive the co-ordinated and holistic support that they require.

5.03 You will be expected to engage with other agencies to prevent duplication, share information and join up support packages for Participants effectively. These agencies may include (but are not limited to) social services, healthcare providers, and local authorities or other government agencies, including the Education & Skills Funding Agency.

5.04 You are expected to demonstrate partnership working with the following, in order to support the Participant and work towards addressing their barriers:

• Public Health commissioned services for people in substance misuse programmes
• services providing support for victims of domestic violence or sexual crime – particularly to support victims who have moved to a new area and need support to find employment
• Supporting Families programme. This is administered by MHCLG and covers England only. Local Authorities identify troubled families in their area and assign a Key Worker to act as a single point of contact
• Local Authorities - people being supported by social care services including Children’s Services – helping young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)
• education and training providers as appropriate, to help young people with disabilities who are making the transition from education to employment and need support from IPES.

This list is not exhaustive.

Signposting Organisations

5.05 In order to make IPES accessible to all eligible individuals, including those who are not regular customers of the Jobcentre, DWP-approved Signposting Organisations (SOs) will be able to signpost individuals that they think will benefit from IPES to the Jobcentre.

5.06 This is intended to be particularly helpful for people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions, who might not visit or contact the Jobcentre office and therefore would not normally come into contact with Jobcentre services.

Note: It has been agreed that Providers can be SOs in their own Contract Package Area’s (CPAs), should they choose to.

Providers should contact their Jobcentre Plus Local Partnership Manager within their CPA to discuss the process for registering, and to ensure that their own organisation is added to the approved list of Signposting Organisations.

Jobcentre Plus Approved list of Signposting Organisations

5.07 Jobcentre Plus have existing lists of SOs within each District/Group and you can contact the Local Partnerships Manager to discuss what is available in the CPA. Local Partnerships Managers will only share the name of the organisation and their location with you.

5.08 This information will be beneficial to you as it will enable you to build relationships with other SOs and provide information to them about the IPES provision in their area. In addition, this will help build up knowledge and support other SOs in identifying potential Participants for referral to Jobcentre Plus.

5.09 Should you identify other potential SOs, you can discuss with the Local Partnerships Manager whether or not they are suitable. The Local Partnerships Manager will then engage with the potential SO to discuss the process of adding them to the approved list.

5.10 JCP will reject any referral from an SO if they are not on the approved list so you must ensure that they, and you, if you have chosen to be an SO, are on the approved list before encouraging, or making, any referrals to Jobcentre Plus.

Local Partnership Manager Action

5.11 Should you request to be a SO within your own CPA, the Local Partnerships Manager will contact you to issue you with a copy of the IPESSO1 form and the email address for the Jobcentre Plus District inbox that completed forms must be returned to.

5.12 SOs must also ensure that they comply with DWP Data Security Protocols, and Local Partnership Managers will provide guidance for the SO detailing how the form is to be sent securely, and what the email should contain.

Signposting Process

5.13 Once an SO has identified that a potential Participant may be eligible and suitable for IPES provision, using the criteria set out in Chapter 2 of this IPES Guidance, the potential Participant will be given an overview of the programme, including:

• the length of support
• that IPES is a voluntary provision
• the potential Participant’s responsibilities whilst on the provision
• the benefits of IPES
• that the potential Participant’s details will be shared with DWP
• that a DWP work coach will contact them as soon as possible to discuss IPES further and establish whether IPES is suitable for them

5.14 The SO, and Provider where appropriate, must manage an individual’s expectations and ensure they are not promised a place on IPES provision when completing the signposting. Individuals should be made aware that this is a signposting process only and that the Jobcentre will make the final decision whether the individual is eligible and suitable for IPES provision and advise whether there is a place available on provision at that time.

5.15 Where the potential Participant is eligible for IPES, and wants to volunteer for IPES, the SO will explain that they are sharing their personal data with the DWP and then complete the template IPESSO1 with the potential Participant.

5.16 The IPESSO1 form is an interactive document enabling the SO to type directly into all required fields, including the potential Participant’s signature. It is essential that all parts of the form are completed correctly. In order to complete the details, the SO will need to select ‘fill and sign’ to the right-hand side of the form when they open the document.

5.17 The IPESSO1 form must be signed by the potential Participant, and once completed, the form sent by unencrypted email to the Jobcentre Plus District inbox, within five working days. The email address for the District inbox will be issued to the SO by the Local Partnership Manager.

5.18 The Work Coach will be notified of the signposted referral (through an established Jobcentre process) and will contact the potential Participant to arrange an interview in order to confirm their eligibility and suitability for IPES provision. Once this is confirmed, they will follow the process for arranging a Warm Handover, as detailed in Chapter 3 of this IPES Guidance.

5.19 Further information for Signposting Organisations on how to action signposts and contact details will be available through DWP Local Partnership Managers and/or local Jobcentre contacts.

The Participant’s Support Network

5.20 The Department acknowledges that many IPES Participants may be isolated from friends, family and peers and, during their time on provision, you will be expected to identify and build a sustainable support network for each Participant that should address negative impacts. This will include identifying and working to resolve issues within the Participant’s current relationships and creating new networks where the Participant’s current one is not conducive to their progression towards employment.

5.21 A support network will enable individuals to be connected to the community, and build strong supportive relationships. You must utilise or build a sustainable support network tailored for each Participant, incorporating as appropriate, family, friends, peers, Local Authority representatives (including Children’s Services), charities, employers and professionals, with a focus on helping the Participant move into work or closer to employment. This is critical for long term resilience and sustainability.

5.22 The steps the Provider takes to build and utilise a sustainable support network for the Participant should be evidenced and recorded in the Participant’s Action Plan.

5.23 Please note: When sharing personal data with a participant’s support network you must ensure that you comply at all times with the GDPR and other relevant data protection legislation. You must obtain the participant’s consent if you propose to share their personal data with their support network. If a participant does not give their consent, or gives their consent and later withdraws it, then you must not share the participant’s personal data with their support network.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups

5.24 Providers must comply with legislation in The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Disclosure and Barring Service for England and Wales), The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 and Protecting Vulnerable Groups Act 2007 (PVG Scotland).

5.25 You are reminded that full details on Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups are to be found in DWP Framework Generic Provider Guidance which comprises part of your contract and, as has been stated, you must read: Chapter 2 – Delivering DWP Provision.

5.26 You must also comply with the legislation in MAPPA England and Wales and MAPPA Scotland. Details on this are also to be found in DWP Framework Generic Provider Guidance, Chapter 2 – Delivering DWP Provision.

MAPPA Actions

5.27. Jobcentre Plus will notify you of any restrictions you need to be aware of and where appropriate, they may share the MAPPA J Template form with you.

5.28. However, risks or restrictions will be different for each MAPPA case, and they may not feel that it is it necessary, or appropriate, to share the MAPPA J with your nominated officer.

5.29. Where the decision is made by the JCP MAPPA SPoC to not share the MAPPA J, they will instead contact the provider’s nominated officer to discuss any restrictions that should be in place for each MAPPA referral.

5.30. In all cases where a MAPPA J is to be sent, they must be sent via secure post.

5.31. If a MAPPA J is issued to your nominated officer by email, you must contact both the JCP MAPPA SPoC and your DWP Performance Manager to advise, and they will investigate.

Referrals made to IPES provision but with no MAPPA notification from JCP

5.32. Occasionally, there may be a delay in sharing the MAPPA restrictions with your nominated officer. In these cases, you should follow the actions set out in Chapter 3 of this Provider Guidance, from para 3.86 onwards.

Change of circumstances and the issuing of an electronic devices to MAPPA participants

5.33. There may be circumstances where you feel it beneficial to issue a mobile phone or laptop to a Participant to help them with their Job search activity, or to support them in addressing their complex barriers or needs. The issuing of electronic devices can be considered a key part of the IPES package of support, helping to move Participants along their journey nearer, or into, work.

Note: ‘electronic devices’ includes mobile phones, laptops, tablets, or any other device that allows access to the internet.

5.34. MAPPA Participants do not have to be excluded from this activity; however, Providers must ensure that before issuing electronic devices to a MAPPA Participant they have checked this does not breach any MAPPA restrictions (where applicable).

5.35. Providers should contact their Jobcentre Plus MAPPA SPoC by phone, either for advice, or to report that a device is to be issued. This will then be reported to the MAPPA administration team at the relevant police force.​

5.36. Whilst the onus is on the Participant to notify any change in their circumstances to the jobcentre, your nominated officer should also contact the JCP MAPPA SPoC if the Participant reports a change of circumstances to you, or if you become aware of changes that conflict with their MAPPA restrictions.

Additional Support

5.37 Additional support is defined as any support that allows a Participant who needs extra help to attend and participate fully in provision, for example:

• translation, transcription and communication services
• specialist equipment
• carer support
• clothing
• travel expenses

5.38 Providers must, as part of their obligations under the duties in the Equality Act 2010 take the necessary steps to obtain and provide special aids or services that might be needed for participation. You will have included these costs within the financial part of your bid proposal.

Financial support for IPES Participants

5.39 Customers should not be financially disadvantaged when attending IPES provision. You are responsible for ensuring customers have the support, including the financial support they need to participate during their time on the Provision.

Travel expenses

5.40 You are responsible for funding the Participant’s travel costs to attend IPES provision, including all disability-related travel costs, from the time and date at which you acknowledge the referral from Jobcentre Plus.

5.41 If the Participant attends interviews arranged as part of the support to move them into work e.g., to undertake work related activities, job interviews or other related interviews, then you are responsible for funding their travel costs.

5.42 You will be expected to cover any travel, childcare and advocacy costs incurred by, or for, the Participant when attending case conferences and ensure that any adjustments or equipment are provided to enable attendance.

You will be required to actively promote the access to funding for travel expenses as part of your promotional campaign.

Childcare and Caring Responsibilities

Childcare

5.43 Childcare for attendance should only be funded for time associated with attendance on IPES provision. Childcare must be provided by:

• carers registered with Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care or Welsh equivalent
• a carer accredited under the Childcare Approval Scheme, run on school premises out of school hours or as an ‘out of hours’ club by a Local Authority
• schools or establishments exempted from registration under the Children’s Act 1989 or operated on Crown property

5.44 The parent can make alternative arrangements. However, payment cannot be authorised unless the arrangements are in one of the above categories. Providers must retain receipts for all Childcare expenditure as they may be subject to DWP Audit and PCO checking.

5.45 The child/children must satisfy the age requirement and be a dependant of and residing with the Participant (please refer to Chapter 2 of Generic Provider Guidance for further information relating to childcare).

5.46 The Jobcentre currently sets its costs for childcare up to the Tax Credit limits. Providers should consider the following limits when developing and pricing their proposals:

5.47 Help with childcare costs can be paid up to, but not including, the first Tuesday in the September following the child’s 15th birthday;

5.48 Parents requiring childcare for five days a week can claim up to a maximum of £175 per week for one child and £300 per week for two or more children; and

5.49 If the Participant is attending an approved activity of less than five days a week, they can claim up to the maximum daily rates of £35 per day for one child and £60 per day for two or more children.

5.50 Providers must not recommend particular childcare facilities to Participants. This is to ensure that DWP/the Jobcentre and/or the Provider do not take on the liability for the safety of children. It is the parents’ responsibility to decide with whom they entrust the care of their children.

5.51 Providers may choose to arrange for a crèche facility to be on their premises. However, they must ensure it is the parents’ choice whether their child uses the facility. Providers should also ensure that any crèche facilities adhere to current legislation.

Caring Responsibility

5.52 Carer Participants attending provision may also be able to get help with the costs of replacement care for time associated with their attendance on IPES provision.

5.53 Providers are expected to fund replacement care costs for Participants, who are:

• aged 18 or over
• not in work, or work less than 16 hours per week
• spend a significant proportion of their lives providing unpaid support to relatives, partners or friends who are ill, frail, disabled or have a mental health or substance misuse problem

5.54 For the purpose of eligibility for the payment of replacement care costs ‘significant’ is defined as any caring responsibilities that are a barrier to work and will impact on the type of paid work a carer can undertake.

5.55 Replacement care must be provided by Local Authority Registered Providers, a Local Authority-preferred Provider, or a recognised care organisation within the local area. Providers should work with the Jobcentre to ensure they meet these criteria. Any contract for care must be between the carer (or the person cared for) and the replacement care provider and must not involve the Jobcentre.

5.56 Providers must not recommend particular replacement care to Participants. The carer, or the person being cared for, must do this, as it is their responsibility to decide who should provide the care.